


It Wouldn't Be Fair To You

by orphan_account



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-03-10
Updated: 2001-03-10
Packaged: 2019-05-15 12:31:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14790567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A fall causes both CJ and Toby to reach some conclusions.





	It Wouldn't Be Fair To You

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

Disclaimers: The West Wing and it's characters are the  
property of Aaron Sorkin, Warner Brothers and NBC. No  
copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being  
made from this

Rating: PG

Author's Notes: Thanks to AJ for beta reading this,  
and well you know for what else, lol, like maybe a  
significant part of the ideas in this.

Summary: A fall causes both CJ and Toby to reach some  
conclusions

She wondered who's idea it had been to hold a  
fundraiser in Chicago in the middle of January. It was  
freezing outside. It was a little warmer inside, which  
was good. She knew she should be circulating, but she  
really didn't feel like it. She looked across the  
room to where he was standing. He confused her more  
than anyone else ever had. There were times when she  
was certain where she stood with him, but those times  
didn't happen very often. Sighing she decided to  
mingle.

She didn't notice him again until they were leaving.  
It had been a success fundraiser, and everyone was in  
a good mood. She was just hoping how soon they would  
reach the cars. It was freezing outside. She pulled  
the wrap tighter around herself. As CJ was walking out  
she was talking to Josh and not really paying  
attention where she was going. They were walking next  
to a small pond. The fountain in the middle had been  
turned off for the winter. As she was walking close to  
it, the heel of her shoe broke, causing her to fall  
into the pond. Josh tried to catch her, but she still  
fell in.

"Do you need any help?" Josh asked. He was trying  
hard to control his laughter.

"Yeah, thanks." CJ said as Josh helped her out of the  
water. "Oh, dear God it's cold." She said shivering.

"CJ, it's twenty degrees out here." Toby said.

"Yes, I know it's twenty degrees out here."

"I was just making certain you had that information."

"I have it, Toby." CJ bent to take her shoes off.

"Are you certain that is a wise idea?" Toby asked.

"What?"

"Taking your shoes off."

"I can't walk in them."

"Yeah, but you're going to freeze."

"It's not that far and I'm already freezing."

"Okay."

"Give me your coat."

"Excuse me?"

"Toby, give me your coat."

"Why?"

"Because I'm freezing!"

"If I give you my coat I'll be freezing!"

"Yes, but you're not drenched. You didn't fall into  
that frozen pond I did!"

"It must have not been frozen."

"What?"

"If it had been frozen you wouldn't have fallen."

"Toby, just give me the damn coat!"

"Only if you'll have it dry cleaned later. I mean  
it's going to get wet..."

"I'll have it dry cleaned."

"Okay." Toby said as he took the coat off. He gently  
placed in around her shoulders, touching her longer  
than was really necessary.

"Thank you." CJ murmured as she pulled the coat  
tighter around her.

"Just don't forget to get it dry cleaned."

"Yeah."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they got to the limousines they were directed to  
the second one, and were alone in it. CJ sat on one  
side, curled up in the corner, Toby on the other.

"I'm going to be lucky if I don't get pneumonia." CJ  
murmured.

"You'll be fine."

"It's twenty degrees outside and I'm soaking wet, not  
to mention the temperature of that water."

"You'll be fine. You weren't in there for very long."

"Yeah."

"How are your feet?"

"Cold."

"Here." Toby said taking off his tuxedo jacket and  
draping it over her feet.

"Thanks."

"Don't tell anyone."

"No one would believe it even if I did."

"I know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toby quietly walked through the hallways of Air Force  
One. Finally he found CJ resting on a couch. She had  
changed into dry clothes and was wrapped up in at  
least two blankets. As he got closer to her, he could  
tell that she was still wearing his coat. He smiled to  
himself as he looked at her. He noticed the blankets  
had slipped away from her feet, so he tucked them  
around her feet. He looked back at her again, and  
left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three days later, CJ found herself standing at Toby's  
door. After a moment she knocked.

"Yes?" Toby said as he opened the door.

"Hi, may I come in?"

"Do you have the coat?"

"Yes."

"Has it been dry cleaned?"

"Yes!"

"Then you may come in."

"Thank you!" CJ said as she went inside. "Here's  
your coat."

"Thank you." CJ said just before she sneezed. "I told  
you I would get sick."

"Yeah you did."

CJ sat down on the couch. "Why thank you Toby, I  
would like something to drink."

"What would you like?"

"Water will be fine."

"Okay." Toby went to the kitchen and got two bottles  
of water.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They sat in silence for awhile, then CJ broke the  
silence. "We are friends, right?" She said  
uncertainly.

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Because of the way you treat me sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

"Toby, there are times when you are...oh I really  
hate to say this...it sounds so petty and childish."

"Just say it."

"There are times you are mean to me." CJ said. "There  
now you've seen me act like a third grader."

"I'm mean to you?"

"Yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"First off, there's the coat. I was freezing and you  
stood there and argued with me for five minutes.  
Actually you confuse me."

"How?"

"You act like that, and then ten minutes later you  
turn around and are sweet to me. I don't understand  
it. I would almost say you are acting like a teenager  
that has a crush on a girl and is afraid to admit it."

"CJ, I don't have a crush on you. You're my friend, a  
good friend, nothing more."

"And what if I said I had feelings beyond friendship  
for you?"

"I'd have to say they are not returned."

CJ stared at the bottle of water in her hand, and got  
up. "Forget I ever said that."

"CJ..."

"No, just forget it okay." CJ said getting up. "God,  
I was so certain. I guess that shows me what I know."

"CJ..."

"No, I'm going. Just forget I came here tonight, and  
forget what I said."

"Don't go."

"Why not?" CJ whispered.

"Because I'm enjoying your company. It's brightening  
an otherwise colorless and boring night."

CJ didn't turn around. More than anything she wanted  
to get out of there. She was only holding onto her  
composure by a thread now, and if she didn't leave  
soon she was going to lose it. "No, I'm going home.  
Good night."

"You can't go."

"Why the hell not?" CJ demanded.

"It's snowing, I think there's some sleet mixed in  
with it. You remember what happened the last time you  
drove in sleet?"

"Yeah."

"I really don't want to get a call saying you've been  
involved in an accident."

CJ closed her eyes, but didn't move. She knew he was  
right. The roads were dangerous, they had been getting  
that way when she had arrived. She could tell she was  
starting to cry.

"Come back and sit down." Toby said.

"No."

"CJ."

"No."

"Claudia Jean. Sit down."

"Why so you can watch me cry over you? No, thank you.  
I've already made a fool of myself enough for one  
night."

"CJ, it's already forgotten."

"The point is I haven't forgotten."

"Come on and sit down." Toby said.

This time, she let him direct her to the couch. She  
sat down but turned her face away from him.

"You weren't wrong." Toby said his voice barely  
audible.

"What?"

"You weren't wrong. I do have feelings beyond  
friendship for you." As she turned to look at him,  
Toby quickly said. "No, let me finish. I'm probably in  
love with you. In fact, I'm almost certain I am.  
However, I know I'm not completely over Andrea yet.  
Getting involved with you right now wouldn't be fair  
to you, and I won't risk hurting you."

"Okay." CJ said softly.

"I will let you know, when I'm over her. If you don't  
want to wait. I will understand."

CJ smiled slightly. "Just don't make me wait too  
long."

"It's getting late."

"Yeah it is."

"You can have the bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. You wouldn't be comfortable on the  
couch."

"Okay."

"I can find something for you to sleep in also."

"Toby, you really don't have to do any of this for  
me."

"Yeah I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having her in the apartment with him had to be some  
form of torture. She was so close, yet really so far  
away. More than anything, he wanted to go and take her  
in his arms. No matter how much he wanted that, he  
would not do it. He would only go to her when his  
heart was completely free. Toby looked in on her, to  
make certain she was all right. She had the blankets  
wrapped tightly around her, and Toby couldn't help but  
notice how peaceful she looked. Toby turned and walked  
back into the living room to try to get some sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Good morning." Toby said as CJ came into the living  
room.

"Morning."

"The storm has turned into a blizzard."

"Great, looks like I'm stuck here for awhile."

"Yeah, we don't have to worry about going to work."

"Closed today?"

"Yep, Congress won't be getting out, and neither will  
the press. All non essential employees have been told  
to stay home."

"Okay."

"So what do you want for breakfast?"

"Scrambled eggs and toast I guess."

"Okay." Toby got up and started towards the kitchen.  
"Do you always sleep with the blankets wrapped tightly  
around you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Future reference."

"Future reference?" CJ said raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"Toby, I always sleep like that."

"Okay." Toby said going into the kitchen, smiling to  
himself about how, in the future, they would probably  
fight over the covers.

  


The end.

  


End file.
